Enchanted Forest Cake

 

Introduce kids to baking with this imaginative Enchanted Forest Cake designed by McKinney’s and Catherine Fulvio. Whether you’re baking this show stopping cake for a magical birthday celebration or for a chocolatey treat, this easy step by step method is designed to help children develop a love of baking early on. This is one of our favourite recent creations from Catherine so we just had to share this with you.

 

 

Serves 10 to 12 slices

Ingredients

For the cake

170g softened butter

200g McKinney’s Caster Sugar

5 eggs

350g plain flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

60g cocoa powder

 

For the buttercream

200g softened butter

400g McKinney’s Icing Sugar

60g cocoa powder

60g melted chocolate

40ml milk

 

For Decoration

100g strawberries, hulled and sliced

150g McKinney’s rollout icing

McKinney’s royal icing

Yellow colour paste, for the flowers

Red colour paste, for the mushrooms

Green colour paste, for the leaves

Light brown colour paste, for the door

 

Method

To prepare the cake

1Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.  Line 2 x 18cm cake tins with baking parchment.

Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric beater. Gradually add the sugar and whisk until fluffy and pale.

Add the eggs, one at a time.  Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.

Divide the cake mix between the 2 lined cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer in the centre and if it comes out clean the cake is done.

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

 

To prepare the buttercream & decorations

Whisk the sugar and butter together until fluffy, add the cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate into the butter cream and whisk again until soft.

Add enough colour paste into the roll out icing to create red mushrooms.  Shape a small cap and a small cylindrical shape and glue them together with a stroke of egg white. Make white dots on the top with royal icing.

Add enough colour paste to the roll out icing to form a brown door, shape out with a knife and add a door knob.

Add enough colour paste to the roll out icing to form green leaves, shape out with a cutter. Choose any colour and add the colour paste to the roll out icing for the flowers and use a cutter to shape.

 

To assemble

Trim the cake evenly and reserve that piece to create “steps” to the fairy door. Place a cake layer on the cake stand, spread some chocolate butter cream and arrange the sliced strawberries over.  Cover with the other layer of cake.

Using a large spatula cover the sides of the cake, the “steps” as well as the top of the cake with buttercream.  Dip the spatula in hot water for a smooth finish for the top while drawing stroke upwards to form a “bark” effect on the sides.

Place the door on the side of the cake near the “steps” and arrange the mushrooms beside the door and on the top of the cake. Place the flowers and leaves on the sides and top.

Serve up & enjoy!

You can find some more McKinney’s Sugar recipes on their facebook page or on their parent website Nordzucker.